CIA concedes it spied on Senate investigators, apologizes

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The CIA said on Thursday its director had apologized to leaders of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee for monitoring computers that committee investigators were using as they looked into the CIA's use of interrogation and secret prisons.

In a statement, Central Intelligence Agency spokesman Dean Boyd said the agency's inspector general had determined that "some CIA employees acted in a manner inconsistent" with an understanding between the agency and the Senate panel.

Boyd said CIA Director John Brennan had informed Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the Senate committee's chair, and its senior Republican, Sen. Saxby Chambliss, of the finding and apologized.

The Senate committee has been investigating excesses allegedly committed by CIA officers who used harsh interrogation methods, including simulated drowning, to question captured militants following the September 11, 2001 attacks.